National Library of the Faroe Islands, National library in Tórshavn, Faroe Islands
The National Library of the Faroe Islands is the main public library in Tórshavn, the capital of the Faroe Islands. It sits in the center of town and holds the largest collection of Faroese literature, periodicals, historical documents, and manuscripts in the country.
The library was founded in 1828, making it one of the oldest public institutions on the islands. During the 20th century it took on the role of a national library and began collecting every work published in the Faroe Islands.
The library holds books, manuscripts, and documents written in Faroese, a language that for a long time had almost no written tradition. Browsing the collection gives a direct sense of how the Faroese language gradually took shape on paper.
The library is open to the public and offers both lending and reading room access. It is centrally located in Tórshavn, so it is easy to reach on foot from most parts of the town center.
The library also serves as the university library for the University of the Faroe Islands, so researchers and students work alongside the general public every day. This double role is rare and makes the place an unusually active meeting point on a small island.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
